Here is a very beautiful and very rare antique pique locket that dates from the 1880's.
Click here to read a brief article on pique jewellery: What is pique jewellery?
With its beautiful chocolate brown colour emphasized by the border of gold as well as the shield in the centre, this will suit so many different styles of chains as well as outfits to wear it with and will always be a wonderful talking point.
Measuring 29.3mm across by 37.2mm or 45.2mm to the top of the locket, inside it can hold two photos to make it so much more special and personal.
There is nothing quite like a locket around your neck with photos of people that you love, and nothing quite like pique jewellery.
Stock# ES9068
Circa: 1880
$Sold.
Out of stock
Antique double sided pique photo locket made in the 1880's
Piqué jewellery is a style and type of jewellery all unto itself and one that cannot be reproduced today and is so unique and spectacular. Made most popular during the Victorian era, it can be found as far back as the 18th Century and was popular throughout most parts of Europe but mostly in Italy and England.
Piqué (pronounced “pee-kayâ€) is gold or silver – or sometimes a combination of both, inlayed into another material. Quite often the material was tortoiseshell (from the Hawksbill tortoise which was also used for the making of other tortoiseshell material such as boxes etc) and sometimes even from elephant ivory.
The tortoiseshell seemed to be the most popular, probably because of its light weight and being easy to “mould†into other shapes. Tortoiseshell is a natural thermoplastic , meaning that it is quite malleable when heated/warmed. Very fine gold or silver would be fashioned into either fine “rods†or “leaf†designs and the pressed into the already warmed tortoiseshell.After the gold and silver was set, the shell was left to cool down which would then contract to hold the metal in place.
Prior to 1870, the metals were cut by hand allowing for very fine and intricate detail then after 1870, machines started to do the work resulting in more straight and angular designs. The attention to detail no matter the age is always something that never ceases to amaze people especially when you consider that these pieces were often made well over 140 years ago and still look superb today.
Piqué jewellery can most commonly be found in earrings and pendants, and the designs and colouring are amazing to admire.
This form of jewellery making is now a lost art as both the elephant and Hawksbill turtle are protected species, meaning that piqué jewellery will become harder and harder to find as the years go by.
Click here to see more antique pique jewellery that is currently in store:
https://www.kalmarantiques.com.au/product-category/antique/pique-jewellery-antique/
Click here to see a small selection of more antique lockets that are currently in store:
https://www.kalmarantiques.com.au/product-category/antique/lockets-antique/
